Weft cutter for a loom with a stationary weft supply



y 21, 1963 M. BALLBE 3,384,127

WEFT CUTTER FOR A LOOM WITH A STATIONARY WEFT SUPPLY Filed April 25, 1966 2 Sheets-Snee1 l Q 41 26 i 39 38 32 I 4o 'Fl G. 2?"

mvemon: mama/v0 BALLBE' M. BALLBE May 21, 1968 WEFT CUTTER FOR A LOOM WITH A STATIONARY WEFT SUPPLY 2 Sheets-Sneet 2 Filed April 25, 1966 mvsmoa: MAR/HMO 6M, 5 BE United States Patent J 7 Claims. (Cl. 139-122) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE A weft cutter for use in a rapier loom to sever one arm of a loop of weft drawn into the shed by a rapier at about the time when this rapier is transferring the loop to a rapier operating from the other side of the loom so that the second rapier draws out the loop into a single strand of weft comprises a pivoted carrier lever assembly carrying a fixed jaw and a movable jaw 26 with the movement of the carrier lever assembly so modified by cooperating guide slot and follower means that the jaws are constrained to move in an arcuate substantially vertical path, and a cooperating operating member that positively closes the jaws when the cutter is lowered and positively opens them when it is raised, an associated hook holding any weft threads other than the operative one out of the way of the cutter.

The object of this invention is to provide a weft cutter for a loom with a stationary weft supply which can be arranged to sever the weft thread which is being inserted into the shed of the warp threads at the appropriate time in the loom cycle.

According to this invention a weft cutter for a rapier loom comprises a pair of cutting jaws, one of which is fixed on a carrier, the other being pivoted on the carrier for cutting co-operation with the fixed jaw, the carrier being movable from an inoperative position where the jaws are clear of the weft threads to an operative position where one of the jaws catches the weft thread which is being drawn into the shed, and mechanism for operating the pivoted jaw to sever a thread caught by the cutter at the time when the jaws arrive at the operative position.

According to a preferred feature of the invention, the mechanism for operating the pivoted jaw is adapted to be actuated by relative movement between the carrier and a fixed part of the loom. It is also preferred to provide an opening mechanism which is adapted to be actuated by return motion of the carrier relatively to the loom to open the jaws.

In a preferred application of the invention, the cutter is mounted on a weft supply end of a rapier loom of the kind in which a first rapier carries a loop of weft into the warp shed, and transfers the loop to a second rapier operating from the opposite end of the loom, there being means for braking the Weft supply at the time of transfer from one rapier to the other, and the cutter being adapted to sever the weft extending from the rapier to the selvedge of the previously woven cloth at the time of transfer, so that the second rapier draws out the loop into a single shot of weft.

One construction of a weft cutter in accordance with the invention, and its method of application to, and operation on a rapier loom will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

IGURE 1 is a side view of the cutter looking from the weft supply end of the loom,

FIGURE 2 is a view of part of the cutter shown in FIGURE 1, but looking from the opposite side,

3,384,127 Patented May 21, 1968 FIGURE 3 is a view looking in the same direction as FIGURE 1, but showing a detail omitted from FIG- URE 1,

FIGURE 4 is a detail view looking in the direction of arrow IV in FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view showing the operation of the cutter.

In this particular instance, the invention is applied to a rapier loom which employs two rapiers one at each end of the loom, there being driving mechanism for the rapiers which projects the two rapiers into the shed of warp threads and retracts them.

A weft supply is provided at one end of the loom, and the rapier which operates from that end is adapted to catch a weft thread extending from the supply to the salvedge of the previously woven cloth and to draw a loop of this thread into the shed. At about the middle of the width of the shed, the loop of Weft is transferred to the rapier which has arrived at that position from the other end of the loom, and both rapiers are then retracted to their respective ends. At the time of transfer from one rapier to the other, a brake is applied to the weft which is being drawn off from the weft package. Also at the time of weft transfer, the weft extending between the selvedge of the cloth and the rapier is severed near to or in the selvedge so that the length of thread between the selvedge and the rapier is drawn out by the second rapier (since it is prevented from drawing any more weft from the package) into a continuation of the weft extending from the package to the rapier, so that only a single shot of weft is laid. In other words, a double shot of weft is taken half way across the shed, and then this is drawn out into a single shot across the full width of the shed.

Fixed on the breast beam 10 of the loom there is a bracket 11, on which the temple 12 (see FIGURE 5) is fixed. The temple extends inwardly from the bracket 11 (i.e. towards the opposite end of the loom) but on the outside of the bracket 11 there is a guide plate 13, which is secured to the bracket 11 by a bolt 14 passed through a slot 15 in the plate so that the latter can be adjusted forwardly and rearwardly of the loom.

At its lower end, the bracket 11 carries a stub shaft 16 on which is pivoted a cranked arm 17, which at its rear end is formed with a vertical slot 18. A ball bearing 19 rotatable on a stud 20 on the arm 17 acts as a follower for a cam 21 fixed on a shaft 22 which extends across the front of the loom. The shaft 22 is driven by gearing (not shown) from the loom drive shaft, and rotates at the same angular velocity as the drive shaft. By virtue of the cam-and-follower arrangement, the arm 17 is caused to swing downwardly about the stub shaft 16 once in each cycle of the loom, and the timing of this movement relative to the loom cycle can be varied by adjusting the position of the cam 21 on its shaft 22.

A double cranked carrier lever 23 is pivoted at its lower end on a bolt 24 fixed in the slot 18 (the pivot point being adjustable vertically by reason of the slot 18) and at its upper end provides a mounting for a pair of cutter jaws 25 and 26. The lever 23 has a forward projection 27 to which there is fixed a follower bolt 28, which passes slidably through an arcuate guide slot 29 in the guide plate 13, the bolt being secured by a nut 39 on the opposite side of the plate 13. A strong tension spring 31 is connected between the bolt 28 and an anchor piece 32 fixed to the bracket 31 by the bOit 14, so that the spring always tends to pull the lever 23 into the forward position shown in FIGURE 1.

The jaw 25 (which will be referred to as the fixed jaw) is fixed relatively to the lever 23, so that it follows the movements of that lever, As shown in FIGURES l and 4, there are cutting edges 33 and 34 formed on the jaws,

and the jaws are pressed towards each other so that they can act as a pair of scissors. A bulbous parting member 35 with a pointed lower end is bifurcated at its upper end so that it can embrace the lower end of the fixed jaw 25 (see FIGURE 4), this parting member being fixed to the fixed jaw by screws 36 passing through the bifurcated upper end of the parting member and the part of the fixed jaw between its two io s. The cutting edge 33 projects from the member 35.

When the high part of the cam 21 depresses the arm 17, the latter turns about its pivot 16 and pulls the lower end of the lever 23 downwardly. Since the lever 23 is constrained by the engagement of its bolt 28 in the arcuate slot 29, it turns about the pivot 2 and its bolt 28 moves towards the rear end of the slot 29, so that the lever 23 has a compound movement. This carries the jaws 25 and 26 rearwardly clear of the temple 1?; and then almost vertically downwardly. This movement is carried out at the same time as the rapier is catching a selected weft thread and dragging it towards the shed of warp threads. At the lower end of its swinging movement the lever 23 is in the operative position for the weft cutting operation.

At this stage, all the weft threads a, b, c are extending between the temple 12 and the weft selector (not shown), but the selected thread d is formed into a loop around the hook of the rapier (not shown). Before the rapier head passes into the warp shed f the parting member 35 is pressed downwardly adjacent the edge or into the edge of the warp threads. Because of its shape, it laterally displaces the warp threads on its side or sides and allows the pivoted jaw 26 to enter the space so created. The shot of weft d from the selvedge to the rapier is carried around the rear of the parting member 35 so that it is positioned between the jaws of the cutter.

An upstanding lug 37 on the plate 13 carries a bolt 38 which passes through an elongated slot 39 in an Operating member at The latter is attached at its rear end to a short lever 41 fixed to a boss to which the pivoted jaw 26 is fixed. Two adjustable abutments are fixed on the operating member 40, one adjacent to each end of the slot 39. Lugs 42 and 43 project from the member 4% and screw stops 44 and 45 are locked in these abutments by locknuts 45 and 47.

When the lever 123 is arriving at the rear end of its stroke, the stop 45 engages with the bolt 38, and as the upper end of the lever continues to move rearwardiy, the lever 41 is pulled by the member 49 (which has been arrested by the bolt 38) and consequently, the jaw 26 is turned to cut the weft thread al This action is timed to take place at the time in the loom cycle when a weft transfer from one rapier to the other is taking place or when the leading portion of the weft loop being inserted is substantially at the center of the shed. Since the selected weft is braked at the same instant the rapier cannot draw any more weft from the package, so that the slot of weft d is then drawn across the shed to form a single shot. When the lever 23 returns under the actions of the spring 31, to the operative position shown in FIGURE 1, the stop 44 engages with the bolt 38 and opens the jaws by pushing the lever 41 rearwardly.

Also fixed on the shaft 22 is a second cam 48 (see FIGURE 3), and a nylon cam follower 49 engages with this cam, the follower being pivoted on a hooked lever 50. The latter is pivoted on the bracket 11 at 51, and .t it front end is formed with a hook The follower 49 rests on the cam 48 by gravity although it could be assisted by spring loading if necessary, The timing of the cam 48 is such that the hook 52 is lowered on to the weft threads at, b, c, d, immediately after a weft selection has been made, so that all the threads are held as shown in EEG- URE whereby only the selected thread can be taken l around the rear of the parting member 35. This is particularly useful where the shed does not close at each pick, as there would then be the possibility of the last inserted weft thread moving back to the rear of the parting member 35 were it not for the hook 52.

I claim:

ll. A weft cutter for use in a rapier loom comprising a lever, means mounting said lever for pivotal movement in said loom between inoperative and operative positions, a fixed jaw carried by said lever, said fixed jaw being adapted to engage a weft thread being laid in said loom when said lever is in said operative position, a movable jaw carried by said lever for movement between cutter open and closed positions co-operative with said fixed jaw, and an operating member cooperating with said lever-mounting means to apply movement to said movable jaw in response to a final phase of movement of said lever into said operative position to close said movable jaw relatively to said fixed jaw, said operating member further cooperating with said lever-mounting means to apply movement to said movable jaw in response to a final phase of movement of said lever into said inoperative position to open said movable jaw relatively to said fixed jaw.

2. A weft cutter arrangement for use in a rapier loom operable to sever a loop of weft being drawn into a shed at about the time the leading portion of said loop reaches the center of said shed so that said loop may be drawn into a single strand of weft extending across said shed, said cutter comprisin" an arm pivoted about a fixed axis on the loom, a lever pivoted on said arm, relatively movable weft cutter jaws mounted on said lever, means for cyclically swinging said arm about its pivot for controlling movement of said jaws toward and from the weft to be severed, means on the loom operative during movement of said arm for controlling pivotal movement of said lever relative to said arm, and means connected between said loom and said movable jaw for controlling opening and closing of said cutter jaws in synchronism with movement of said arm.

3. A weft cutter according to claim 1, wherein said lever is pivoted at its lower end at a position rearward of said operative position of said fixed jaw, and guide means constraining the movement of said lever into a rearward and downward path above and in front of said operative position.

4. A weft cutter according to claim 3, wherein said guide means comprises a stationary member defining an arcuate slot and a projection on said lever engaging in said slotted stationary member.

5. A weft cutter according to claim ll, including rotary cam means for moving said lever.

6. A weft cutter according to claim 1, including a hooked member, means mounting said hooked member for movement between an inoperative position clear of the weft threads laid in the loom, and an operative position where it holds any weft threads extending from an edge of a fabric being woven to a weft supply forwardly of the position occupied by said fixed jaw when in said operative position.

7. A weft cutter according to claim 6, incorporating a rotary cam operating in synchronism with the loom drive and driving said hooked member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,805,046 5/l93l Menschner 139-127 2,170,773 8/1939 Sullivan 139-l22 2,205,623 6/1940 Gabler l39l27 3,249,127 5/1966 Payne 139-122 HENRY S. JAUDON, Primary Examiner, 

